Knuckles, White Like Mountains.

Lebanon, NH – The border guard at St. Stephens, NB, held my passport up, looked at it, then me, and said, smiling: "There's a striking resemblance." He added: "You riding with the guy behind you?" "He's my father; you'll notice a striking resemblance there, too," I replied. He chuckled in a way you don't usually see at larger border crossings in Ontario.

We had been on the road for a couple hours, traveling south in New Brunswick past some spectacular views of the Bay of Fundy, and had just stopped for breakfast. Our return home will include secondary roads through the United States until we get within striking distance of home.

From a bumper sticker pro- claiming "10 Out of 10 Terrorists Prefer Obama for President" to two guys sitting on a lawn covered in crossbows, long swords and other weapons for sale, it was obvious we were somewhere different. A lawn sign proclaimed "The Obamanure is Getting High" beside another with the old standby: "If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them." I resisted the urge to comment on the irony that, as Commander-in-Chief, Obama is the head of troops for whom they were seeking support.

The winding roads, like veins, brought me energy as I challenged the switchbacks that wend through the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Vermont. Centuries ago, shoulders of rock shrugged, forming the magnificent hills we rode through today.

In their immensity, they remained indifferent.

Vitals:

• Time: 11 hours, 32 minutes
• Distance: 708.7 kilometres
• Weather: Sun, Warm
• Provinces/States: New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont
• Wildlife: None

Day Nine: History.

Kigali, Rwanda – I was just one, one of a hundred or so sitting in a hotel bar in Kigali; just one, one of several hundred million witnessing history. Never before have American politics so captured the world’s imagination.

Unsurprisingly, Barack Obama’s inauguration as the 44th President of the United States was big news in Africa today. I am told giant television screens were erected in Kisumu, Kenya, where Obama’s father lived (somewhere I visited last year), and I have little doubt the entire community came out to watch.

Here at the Hilltop Hotel and Country Club (it’s not as it sounds, believe you me) in Kigali, around 100 people folded themselves into white plastic chairs put in place for the occasion and took in the pomp and circumstance. A screen was unfurled from the ceiling and CNN’s Internet feed was broadcast on it. Beside it, a small television carried BBC.

The eyes of Muslim, Catholic, black and white were locked in rapt attention as the screen carried the day’s events. Rwandan, Kenyan and Canadian alike clapped boisterously at the site of the next President and listened intently as he spoke. A hush fell over the room until certain salient points were punctuated by rejoicing, cheers and hugs.

Even bigger cheers and sarcastic waves followed as former President Bush was taken off in a helicopter. Most here are thrilled at the addition of the word “former” to Bush, and the removal of “elect” from Obama.

It was pretty neat to be in the centre of Africa, the only white person in the room, as America takes steps toward progress, toward rectifying some of its history, toward change. Regardless of the politician Obama becomes, this has been a great day for humanity.